Since launching in 2014, ITVBe has been the home of reality and unscripted programmes which will now be moved to ITV2, while the channel’s slot is taken over by ITV Quiz
ITV announced a major shake-up this year(Image: Bloomberg via Getty Images)
A popular TV channel is shutting down today after 11 years on-air as part of a major shake-up.ITVBe, which first launched in 2014, has primarily been the home of reality and unscripted programmes such as The Only Way Is Essex (TOWIE) and The Real Housewives franchise.
Comedy fans have also previously been able to watch American shows like Jane the Virgin and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend on the channel – but after tonight, ITVBe will no longer exist as its reality shows will be moved to a new home by merging with ITV2.
These programmes will sit alongside other popular ITV2 shows including Love Island and Big Brother, and will continue to stream on ITVX, it was announced earlier this year. ITVBe’s slot will be filled by ITV Quiz, airing the TV network’s quiz and game shows.
READ MORE: Popular TV channel on Freeview and Virgin closing down after more than a decade of broadcasting
ITVBe is shutting down today
These include Wheel of Fortune, Tipping Point, Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, Lingo, Tenable, Deal or No Deal, The 1% Club, Jeopardy! and Catchphrase. As TOWIE – one of the most popular titles on ITVX – moves to ITV2, fans will enjoy a 15th anniversary series in the autumn.
It is not the first time that TOWIE has aired on ITV2, with the channel being the reality show’s original home when it first aired in 2010. The show, which started the careers of Mark Wright, Joey Essex, Lucy Mecklenburgh, Sam Faiers and Dab Osborne, aired on ITV2 until 2014, when it became one of the flagship programmes on ITVBe.
In its announcement earlier this year, ITV said: “ITV2 will now officially become the linear home of all of ITV’s best-known reality series, as The Only Way is Essex, The Real Housewives of Cheshire and Real Housewives franchises from around the world move from ITVBe to the UK’s most successful digital channel for 16-34s, in June 2025. TOWIE and RHOCH join a rich schedule of returning formats, including Love Island and Big Brother, and exciting new commissions which are lined up throughout the remainder of 2025 on ITV2, and will continue to stream on ITVX.
Love Island and all of its spin offs have been streamed 2.2 billion times, ITV said(Image: ITV)
“The supercharged ITV2 offering also includes animated comedies (Family Guy) original commissions (G’Wed and Transaction) blockbuster movies and younger skewing factual entertainment, like Olivia Attwood‘s Price of Perfection, which are all also strong performers on ITVX. Both Love Island and Big Brother are due to return in the Summer and Autumn months respectively, alongside a second series of Olivia Attwood’s Bad Boyfriends, following its talked about debut series in 2024.
“The Only Way Is Essex will turn 15 meanwhile with a celebratory Autumn series. The move to ITV2 marks a homecoming for TOWIE as part of its 15th anniversary year, having initially debuted its first 12 series on ITV2.”
ITV said TOWIE remains one of their most popular programmes(Image: Grab)
It added that the reality genre remains the most popular on ITV2 and ITVX, with Love Island and all of its spin offs being streamed 2.2 billion times, while Big Brother has been streamed over 100 million times. Streaming of TOWIE reached 66 million in the 12 months up to April, ITV said.
The statement concluded: “As the flagship commissions move across to their ITV2 broadcast home, ITV will retire the ITVBe brand from its portfolio in June 2025. ITV plans to use the channel slot as ITV Quiz, drawing on ITV’s popular, market-leading UK quiz and game shows, and the success and learnings of ITVX FAST channels.”
Earlier today, we reported that Love Island‘s first bombshell has been revealed as a stunning Las Vegas pool party waitress. Antonia Laites, 24, looks after the VIP cabana huts at the swanky Fontainebleau Resort in the gambling mecca. She is the first American bombshell to take part in the reality dating show, which kicks off on ITV2 on Monday. She will join the other islanders as a bombshell – a role usually reserved for the best-looking contestants.
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